Heel



Sept. 2, 1924. v 1,506,922

W. H. DOUGHTY HEEL Filed Dec. 1, 1923 gwuantoz Wa'ZZz'azp ZazyJq? Gamma the Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. DOUGHTY, OF SPRINGVA LE,

HEEL;

Application filed December 1, 1923. Serial 1a. erases.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. DOUGHTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springvale, in the county of .York and State of -Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heels, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings..

This invention relates to heels for shoes, boots, slippers, and the like, and has for its object the provision of a novel heel construction involving the use of an inserted layer of rubber whereby the finished heel will have all of the advantages of the ordinary well known rubber heel while being cheaper inasmuch as the layer exposed to wear consists of a leather lift.

An important and more specific object is rovision of a heel of this character in whic provision is made for permitting detachment of the leather lift when the samebecomes worn out, the worn out lift being replaced by anew one of identical construc-' tion capable of being produced at extremely low cost.

It is well known that the ordinary rubber heel quickly becomes worn either at the back or at the edge so that it throws the shoe out of proper line, causing improper walking and" unsightliness. With this fact in view I have designed the present construction in which the rubber portion of the heel is inserted between the heel portion of the shoe and a leather lift, the latter taking up the wear so that the rubber itself is not afiected in any way.

An additional object is the provision of a heel constructed of this character which will be very simple and inexpensive in manufacture, capable of renewal without tools and by those unskilled in the art, and which will, moreover, be highly eflicient, satisfactor and durable.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed andillustrated in the accompanyin? drawings in whichigure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a shoe and a heel constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the heel being in section.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the rubber insert showing the fastener elements carried thereby.

1 fFigure 3 is a similar view of the leather 1 t.

Figure 4 is a section through a modification.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, the letter A designates a portion of a shoe having its heel ortion equipped with a layer or lift B of eather in accordance with the usual practice. In carrying out my invention I provide a layer or insert 10 of rubber which is formed with holes 11 through which extend the shank portions 12 of snap fastener elements formed with heads 13 projecting beyond or below the lower surface of the insert, and which are further formed or provided with flanges 14 bearing upon the upper surface of the rubber insert. Any desired means may be employed for securing this rubber insert to the underside of the leather lift B, though in actual practice a convenient method is .to utilize nails 15 of conventional pattern which are driven through the rubber insert into the lift B and sole portion of the shoe. Ordinarily it is a practice'to rovide rubber heels and kindred devices wit washers embedded therein and having holes through which the securing nails pass, and in accordance with this general practice, I refor to use washers or disks 16 embedde in the rubber insert during the manufacture thereoffor an equivalent purpose so that there will no likelihood of the nails tearin%out.

elow the rubber insert I employ a lift 17 of leather which naturally must have the same configuration as the rubber insert and the body of the heel itself and which is formed with suitable recesses within which are located snap fastener elements 18 mounted or secured in any desired manner such as 1for instance by prongs, by cementing or the ike. i

In assembling the heel, the insert 10 is fastened to the leather lift B of the heel, and possibly to the sole portion of the shoe by means of the nails 15. which are driven through the insert and through the holesin 4 the disks or washers 16. It will be observed that the heads 13 of the snap fastener elements project below the lower surface of the becomes worn out it is obvious that it may be quickly and easily replaced by prying it off with a screw-driver, chisel or other similar tool, the heads 13 of the fastener elements carried by the rubber insert being undamaged. In view of the fact that the rubber insert itself never comes in contact with the ground or other surface walked upon, it is apparent that it is not subject to wear and that it may last indefinitely, the only replacement being the leather lift.

In Figure 4 I have illustrated a slight modification in which the same general principle is involved. However, in this form I have illustrated the employment of a snap fastener element 19 which is let into the rubber insert and which cooperates with a mating element 20 let into the bottom leather lift. It will be seen that the only difference is that in this case cement or other means must be employed for holding the snap fastener element 19 within or associated with the rubber insert as the element 19 is not equipped with an elongated shank passing through the entire insert and terminating in a flange bearing upon the top surface thereof, as in the first described form. As a matter of fact, there is no limitation contemplated as to the exact arrangement or type 'of snap fasteners used as it will be obvious to the trained mind that they may be transposed and that various fasteners of different constructions may be used with equal advantage, especially inasmuch as the essential feature is the quick replacement, with-' out tools, in the event that the lowermost or wear receiving lift becomes worn out.

I claim:

A shoe heel including upper, intermediate and lower sections, snap fastener elements carried by the intermediate section and each including an elongated shank extending entirely through the intermediate section and terminating at its upper end in an enlarged base bearing upon the top surface of the intermediate section, each shank terminating at its lower end in a ball head projecting below the bottom surface of the intermediate section, securing elements fastening the intermediate section to the top section and to the shoe to which the heel is applied, and snap fastener sockets recessed into the lowermost section and coacting with said ball heads for holding the lowermost section onto the intermediate. section, the enlarged bases op erating to revent tearing of the first-named fastener e ements through the intermediate section.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. 1

WILLIAM H. 'DOUGHTY. 

